Newly Redesigned Intranet Web site Launched
Education Technology Services (ETS) is proud to host the new Intranet Web site for Broward County Public Schools. This newly designed internal communications tool is intended to provide information important to District employees. For many years, the old Intranet Web site contained basic information that was available to all employees, including links to the District phone directory, HRMS, District forms and the Service Desk. The site, however, was very limited in content and was seldom updated – causing many people to abandon it altogether. Thanks to a new design and improved functionality, all that has changed. Along with the most used features of the old design, the new site also features:

• a Web site search function of all BCPS hosted Web sites;
• an Employee News section that contains information and updates
affecting District employees;
• news from the Communications & Media Relations Department;
• a section that highlights news from schools and departments;
• streaming video content;
• links to a variety of District Web sites; and
• information on hosting content with ETS.

The design can be changed and adapted as needed. The aim is to have the site be dynamic and inviting so that people will rely on it to find the information they need. Visit the District’s new Intranet Web site from a District based computer by signing on to the Internet and typing the word web on the URL line.



Teaching Expo Features Insight, Inspiration, Ideas
Looking for some fresh ideas to motivate your students to learn? The Broward Education Foundation’s upcoming IMPACT II Idea Expo sponsored by Nova Southeastern University - may be just the ticket.

This truly educational trade show will feature 50+ displays illustrating effective, dynamic teaching strategies already employed by other Broward County educators. A variety of workshops will also be offered, providing tips on how to use each strategy. Grant awards are available to teachers who decide to adapt these award-winning programs to their own classrooms and teachers who attend the expo will also receive six in-service points.

It all takes place on Saturday, February 4th from 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at Nova Southeastern University’s Davie Campus. Log on to
(www.browardschools.com/bet) for additional details and to benefit from the pre-registration price of $30. You can also contact Colette Burns at 754-321-2030 for more information on the IMPACT II Idea Expo.

Moms, Dads Learn to Bridge the “Digital Divide”
Parents Trained to Help Their Kids Use
District-Provided Computers

In a recent issue of The 411, we told you about the District’s “Digital Divide” program, designed to help bridge the gap between families who have technology and those who don’t because they lack the means to afford it. The first objective of that program was to increase the number of first-time home computer families by supplying them with surplus computers refurbished by the Education Technology Services (ETS). Lauderdale Manors Elementary School is serving as the pilot school for the District’s initial Digital Divide efforts.

In order to participate in the first phase of Digital Divide, parents must take part in a three-hour technology training class. All of the targeted 150 parents have now completed that training. Following the brief program, the moms and dads took home desktop computers and related equipment – free of charge. By participating in the instruction – which included set-up and operation of the computer – they were ideally positioned to begin helping their children use a computer to assist with their educational needs. Software vendors Microsoft, Apple and Riverdeep authorized the District to install a variety of their software products on the computers for home use by the families.

The Digital Divide pilot program will be evaluated during the second semester and recommendations, criteria and guidelines to expand the program to other schools will be made. Long-term goals of the Digital Divide initiative include incorporating other programs that focus on providing home technology to low-income families and exploring options to provide home Internet connections to participating families.

For additional information on the Digital Divide initiative, please contact Mary Baker, ETS Project Manager, at 754-321-0306 or via E-mail at (diggi@browardschools.com).